Ontario invests in three-year project to strengthen diversity and philanthropy within the nonprofit sector

Ontario’s nonprofit organizations are about to receive a major boost in training and development on diversity and inclusion issues, thanks to a multi-year initiative funded by the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration’s Partnership Project Office.

From Diversity to Inclusion in Philanthropy: An Action Plan for Ontario’s Charitable Sector is a groundbreaking three-year project focused on understanding the giving traditions and interests of a wide range communities in Ontario. Organized by the Association of Fundraising Professionals Foundation for Philanthropy-Canada, in cooperation with its Greater Toronto and Ottawa chapters, the project will offer in-depth inclusion-oriented education, training and networking activities for Ontario-based nonprofit leaders, fundraisers, volunteers and donors.

One of the goals of this project is to mobilize giving amongst a number of ethno-cultural and immigrant groups, First Nations/Métis/Inuit peoples, women, youth, individuals with disabilities, Francophone-Ontarians and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered populations. The Partnership Project Office has committed up to $300,000 over three years to help with the organization of a series of one-day conferences and the development of an online philanthropy and inclusion “toolkit” for fundraisers and donors.

"This investment from the government will help the non-profit sector prepare for new conversations about giving and volunteering in Ontario,” said Andrew Watt, FInstF, president and CEO of AFP. “In fact, this project is breaking new ground in the sector, and we expect that it will offer some practical insights and strategies for nonprofit organizations that are interested in taking diversity and inclusion issues to the next level.

For more information about this initiative, please contact Cynthia Quigley, AFP Greater Toronto Chapter, at cquigley@afptoronto.org.